The Australian team travelled to Romania, to compete in the 2024 International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO). The team was announced in late November, then promptly jumped on a long-haul flight from Sydney to Bucharest, to compete and to experience a range of cultural events from 2 to 11 December 2024.

We are delighted to announce the results:

Gold for Alex Ma
Gold for Owen Zhai
Silver for Josiah Levchenko
Silver for Jaskeerat Arora
Silver for Eric Xie
Silver for Chrysolite Salla

Congratulations to the Australian team, who worked hard to be selected, prepare for the competition, and represent Australia at the International Junior Science Olympiad. It is a prestigious global competition, held every year, that brings together the most talented young science students from over 50 countries. Designed for students under the age of 16, it offers an exciting platform to explore and deepen their interest in science.

Beyond fostering the development of their scientific skills, the IJSO offers a unique opportunity for students to meet peers and science experts from diverse backgrounds and immerse themselves in different cultures.

The Opening Ceremony was a grand affair held at Bucharest Parliament Palace, attended by dignitaries and special guests, with a range of cultural performances, welcome bread and colourful costumes. More photos here.

 

Between exam days, the students were treated to a range of cultural, historical and scientific excursions, including

• Peleș Castle, a Neo-Renaissance palace in the Royal Domain of Sinaia in the Carpathian Mountains
• Palace of the Parliament, the seat of the Parliament of Romania, located atop Dealul Spirii in Bucharest, the national capital
• Horia Hulubei, National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, one of the most important public R&D organisations in Romania
• Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, an open-air ethnographic museum located in the King Michael I Park, Bucharest which showcases traditional Romanian village life
• Romanian Athenaeum, an ornate, domed, circular concert hall in the center of Bucharest, opened in 1888

 

 

Participants faced challenging theoretical and practical exams across multiple scientific disciplines, encouraging them to think critically, experiment and tackle complex problems. Here they are:

• after the Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) test at the National Computer College/ College of Informatics Tudor Vianu
• getting ready for the Practical Test held at National University of Science and Technology, Politehnica Bucharest
• after the Theory Exam held at National University of Science and Technology, Politehnica Bucharest

 

Thank you to Romania for hosting. More information about the 2024 IJSO here.

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Congratulations to our winning 2024 IJSO Australian team and their schools!

• Jaskeerat Arora – Baulkham Hills High School, NSW
• Josiah Levchenko – Gippsland Grammar, VIC
• Alex Ma – Sydney Grammar School, NSW
• Chrysolite Salla – Presbyterian Ladies’ College Sydney, NSW
• Eric Xie – Kelmscott Senior High School, WA
• Owen Zhai – Brisbane State High School, QLD

We would like to thank everyone who helped the team achieve this incredible result. Thank you to…

• Stile Education for providing the online teaching platform to support the Junior Science Olympiad program.
• The Australian National University for providing teaching space, labs and lab staff to support the Junior Science Olympiad program.
• Program Director, Deputy Program Directors, tutors, volunteers and team behind the scenes.
• Students and all the schools and teachers who supported the JSO exam and programs this year!
• All the families and friends for supporting such remarkable young people.

Thank you to the students of the Australian IJSO Team who have worked hard and achieved so much. Good luck with the next stages of your journey…

Photos Source: excursion, exam and ceremony photos from IJSO Romania website, other photos supplied by ASI team